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Friday, September 30, 2011

I downloaded the new “Timeline” feature through Facebook last night. Now before you go stalking my page, if you don’t currently have the Timeline feature, you won’t be able to see anything new. Right now, it’s currently in developer mode, meaning you kind of have to hack…er, um… mess with Facebook a little bit.

And believe me, if Facebook minded, they wouldn’t let you.

So, want your own Timeline?

Well. Google it, my friends.

Here are a few snap shots of what’s coming. The first two pictures are the new profile homepage, aka the actual Timeline. Notice “the cover” photo at the top of your page now.

*Click each photo to expand the view. The browser will not open a new window, so use the "back" button to return to The Why Blog*

You can also see your photos albums and your friends in an updated format:

“Big events” are highlighted in the Timeline with a picture-adding option available. So the profile information change I made when I graduated college now looks like this…

I can even go back to the beginning days of my Facebook in 2005. It’s pretty humorous to see your friends saying they “got sucked in to this whole Facebook thing.”

And now your reward for reading my blog post in its entirety…

Here is the link I used to add the new Timeline feature. Follow the steps carefully, and then let me know if you’ve updated! I want to check out some new profiles. Happy Friday peps.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

The press event began at 11am, and it was currently 10:15. Technically I was leaving right on time - plenty of time to grab a coffee and catch a ride downtown. But then… there’s the subway.

How unfortunate that all trains going into the city were running express, and “because of construction” were only leaving from one stop. Not my stop.

Sigh. As is life.

Somehow I managed to get to the event by 11:10 (albeit, a little out of breath), giving me plenty of time to wonder the Sherwin-Williams and Fisher-Price displays. Free, delicious looking munchies lined several tables, and a large canister of coffee sat proudly in the middle, as through all the food bowed down to him.

Well, I certainly did.

Grabbing a hot cup, I turned around to face more display tables. It was always slightly awkward at these press events, not knowing anyone, with most attendants being long-term editors from other magazines. Still, I can always play a part. And I was wearing my Jimmy Choos. Don’t judge – it helps. And high heels are expected at these things, particularly when you are about to hear from celebrity stylist, Rachel Zoe.

She was promoting a new online tool called Room to Bloom. Several PR agents had walked me around, highlighting features about the product and asking how it would best work for my audience.

Rachel Zoe then appeared, with new assistant Jeremiah Brent in tow. They gave information, answered a few questions, and talked about Rachel’s new baby. I’m not one to be star-struck, but it did feel surreal staring into the face of a woman I watched on TV. How crazy? I suppose I was part of “the press.”

Expecting to watch a short presentation on Room to Bloom, and then head back to work, I was surprised when a friendly PR agent I’d been talking with earlier approached me. “Would you like to try and get an interview with Jeremiah?” she said quietly as the presentation began.

I nearly choked. I didn’t have any questions! I really wasn’t prepared! I just ate a sandwich! Was there anything in my teeth!?

“Oh, yes. Definitely,” the calm, collected outer Britney replied.

Inner Britney was a little more frantic. I walked down a hallway and passed a man offering champagne. “Oh no thanks,” said a woman in front of me. “I’m trying to stay slim!” Another lady eyed the sparkling glasses, ’Thank you but no. I’ve got a long day ahead of me.”

Champagne man looked me as I unceremoniously grabbed a cup. “I’m going to need this…” I mumbled with a small smile. “Get it girl!” he replied in out right laughter.

Next I scribbled down a few quick notes, trying to gather enough questions for about a five-minute interview. My phone was fine on battery, and I said a quick “thank you!” prayer as I remembered my newish iPhone has a microphone. The whole interview could be recorded and I could focus on not looking a fool.

So for everyone’s benefit: This is a “free movie code” for the new Blockbuster kiosks. You can use one per movie. Any of these should work through Sept 26: 76RMAQ8, 53MMKC6, 75JMMF6, 33CHAH4, 2950BW3, and 22DWTM9

Note that sometimes the codes don’t work for movies that are over a $1.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

There was a piece of garbage that rolled down the steps of the subway with me.

The red, plastic slip of paper was moving faster than I was… Falling – no, flying past groups of commuters. If you’ve ever visited the city, you may have noticed strange crosswinds that catch your wrappers and your napkins and your hair (or unfortunately your dress) at off-beat moments throughout the day. The gusts come from seemingly nowhere; just air trapped inside the grid of the city trying to escape.

I stepped onto a subway train.

The man across from me was asleep. The woman next to me was reading. Two men stood near the door, discussing a business proposal. And to my left… No. It couldn’t be. But it was. My piece of red trash friend was resting next me, tired of riding the breeze.

I laughed to myself. Small city.

As I exited the underground and stepped into the sun, police cars were lining up everywhere. Something was happening. But not in the chaotic sort of way. You can feel it in the air when something unexpected happens, and this? This was controlled chaos.

“On the sidewalk miss!” a cop yelled at me.

I quickly moved away from the road and tripped over my other foot. Wait, that wasn’t my foot. Ah! My best friend, Red Trash, was attached to my shoe! I blatantly smiled at the piece of paper.

Yes, I smiled at paper. We seemed to have a connection.

Quicker than I imagined, another blast of wind swept through the city. Red Trash unlatched himself from my shoe and flew up, up, up into the gray sky. He floated happily towards the East River, abandoning me for a carefree trip through town. "What a sense of adventure," I thought wistfully.

Is it odd that I was jealous of Mr. Red Trash? And missed him a little bit?

I saw the President today. He’s been visiting New York for the United Nations conference. And this afternoon, I popped inside of Google’s headquarters to discuss tablet technology for work.

But for some reason, I felt compelled to tell you about that red piece of paper. I think you would have enjoyed him as much as I did. And I think, when he left for his next adventure, you would have missed him just as much too.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

I’ve been bad. There is so much to fill you in on, and moments are slipping away faster than I can type them up. By the way, where did August go? Now September is disappearing as quickly as the changing sun. And you know what that means…

Alright, okay…

For any New Yorker reading the blog, I won’t say the dreaded “w” word.Just for you.

Fall embraced the city almost over night, and school has started up once again. With that comes Pumpkin Spice lattes, Saturday study days, Sunday football, and of course, the late-night crunch. My college roommates will love this statistic I’m about to drop: Average hours slept per night last week: 4.7. Hours spelt on Sunday night: 2.5. Goal for hours to sleep per night this week? Eh…. That’s why you love me!

But here’s the reason I know it’s time for a blog post: I’ve been finding napkins in my pockets and scraps of paper in my purses with hints written from my creative self, addressed to my frazzled self.

Most of memos read something like, “Need 2 blog bout tennis,” or “Dont forgt: park pic.” I couldn’t even tell you what my coding means for half of these notes. But an even bigger problem? I couldn’t even tell you when I’m actually going to sit down and write out these entries.

So. Basically, I’m asking you to bear with me. Once my loans have gone through and my new roommate is settled and classes calm down and my thesis is well underway and people stop being so dang enjoyable, I promise, I promise, I promise to give you some fabulous blog posts.

But for now, enjoy this embarrassing picture snapped right before the hurricane. Happy Tuesday! Keep "holding on" until the weekend!

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

What needs to be done pretty much now: 1) Clean room. It's cluttered. 2) Finish "City of Bones" series. This is more important than Item #1. 3) Decide what to wear for Fashion's Night Out this Thursday in New York. This is more important than Item #1, but less important than Item #2. 4) Do dishes. This item holds the same equally unimportant value as Item #1. 5) Order one more book for school. 6) Remind oneself repeatedly that, in fact, school starts tomorrow.7) Buy peanut butter. This Item trumps all other Items, with the exception of #2. 8) Upload pictures to Facebook. This Item is time-sensitive due to your parents’ uncanny Facebook skills. In fact, your pictures are already old news. 9) Consider that possibility of maybe thinking about the idea of doing laundry.

About the Blog

Two years ago, I made my way to New York City. Currently I'm working at The Huffington Post, writing for their Tech & Social Media vertical. This blog will chronicle my adventures for friends, family, & anyone else who happens by.

WHY the WHY?

"You must understand the whole of life, not just one little part of it. That is why you must read, that is why you must look at the skies, that is why you must sing and dance, and write poems and suffer and understand, for all that is life."